Boxing: Crunch time for Lee Appleyard as he targets two-weight championship

Bob Westerdale

Lee Appleyard aims to be a two-weight English champion by the end of the year.

The Bramley, Rotherham fighter decided to go up from lightweight to light welter, after defeat at the hands of Sheffield’s Atif Shafiq in March.

He makes his comeback at Doncaster Dome on a Stefy Bull show on June 16.

That will be a preparation fight, he hopes, for an English title crack at the end of the year.

Appleyard, 30, had to vacate the belt at 135 pounds and admits it was a harrowing experience to make the weight for the Shafiq fight. “I put 20lbs on, after the weigh-in, so it shows how much I’d lost and dehydrated.

“My resilience was too low and the sharpness of his shots were having an affect because of the weight issue.

Lee Appleyard, left, after sparring Lewis Ritson

“Atif is a typical Ingle fighter and his slick style didn’t suit me, I hope he does well in the future.

“But now I’m hungry for a new English title at light welterweight.”

Appleyard said he had been scheduled to fight Londoner Cassius Connor at the Dome, but he’s pulled out.

No replacement has been named yet.

Levi Kinsiona, from Sheffield, will make his pro debut on the June 16 show.